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"Apple has determined that a very small number of iPhone 6s devices may unexpectedly shut down. This is not a safety issue and only affects devices within a limited serial number range that were manufactured between September and October 2015, " the company said in a statement.

The company added: "If you have experienced this issue, please visit an Apple Retail Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider and have your device's serial number checked to confirm eligibility for a battery replacement, free of charge."

Apple warned users that any iPhone handsets found to be eligible would need to have any cracked screens repaired before the firm could go ahead with the battery replacement.

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The battery replacement comes just days after Apple announced a similar scheme to fix a fault in their iPhone 6 Plus that causes the screen to become less responsive over time - an issue known as "touch disease".